


Bless This Cross

by BlameItOnTheBlock



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Bane Chronicles - Sarah Rees Brennan & Cassandra Clare & Maureen Johnson
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Domestic Fluff, Early Mornings, Established Relationship, Fluff, Happy Ending, I think I tried to be poetic, M/M, Marriage Proposal, but it didn't work, hints at depression, slight angst (because the author is slightly sad)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2016-12-11
Packaged: 2018-09-07 22:56:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8819404
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlameItOnTheBlock/pseuds/BlameItOnTheBlock
Summary: Simon woke up with hairs tickling his nose, and his right arm numb. The sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon, the first tendril illuminating the room with a soft glow. A small smile worked its way onto his face as he looked down at the cause of his numb arm. The soft glow in the room made Raphael look ethereal, blissful in a way he never looked when he was awake. Simon loved waking up like this.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all! I know, I know. This is not the update you are looking for (Ha. StarWars), but I am sadmad and need some fluff (Because there is not enough Saphael fluff right now), so here you go! Also a warning for some angst because I am sad.

Simon woke up with hairs tickling his nose, and his right arm numb. The sun was just beginning to peak over the horizon, the first tendril illuminating the room with a soft glow. A small smile worked its way onto his face as he looked down at the cause of his numb arm. The soft glow in the room made Raphael look ethereal, blissful in a way he never looked when he was awake. Simon loved waking up like this. He knew, without looking at the clock on his nightstand, that it was around 6:30 in the morning, far too early for either of them to get out of bed, much less be awake. But Simon, much to Raphael's dismay, was an early rising, even on the days where he doesn't get much sleep. His internal clock is set early, for he never sleeps in after 8.

Raphael let out a faint grunt and Simon could see the worry lines crease his brow as he tried to curl, if possible, even further into his chest. Simon huffed a quiet laugh and brought his still numb, right arm up around Raphael's shoulders, complying with his unconscious demand to be held closer.  The pinched look on his face smoothed out as he sighed contently. Simon leaned down to press a light kiss to the top of Raphael's curly head. He was almost positive he had what Clary called his "heart eyes" on right now, but he couldn't help it. He was so ridiculously in love with the man sleeping next to him it almost hurt.

He had no doubt that Raphael loved him back equally as much, perhaps maybe even more. Raphael loved in his own way. He loved with casual brushes of fingers and gentle smiles. He loved with fond insults and playful remarks. Most of all, he loved in the way he looked at Simon. There was no grand gestures of love. No moments of sweeping each other off his feet and riding away into the sunset. No, his and Raphael's love was a quiet love, but powerful and meaningful all the same. 

Likewise, Simon knew that it was the right time. They had been dating for almost four years, and had known each other for seven all together. He met Raphael his Sophomore year at the University of New York when he was introduced to him at one of Magnus Bane's parties. As it would turn out, Raphael was a good friend- though Raphael wouldn't say good, or friend for that matter- of Magnus'. They sat together on a couch for hours until finally was brave enough (and drunk enough) to pull Raphael up to dance. Simon smiled, remembered how insistent Raphael had been that he did  _not_ dance, but Simon simply wouldn't take no for an answer. Despite all the complaining Raphael did- which Simon soon became accustomed to- he loosened up, and boy could he dance. He moved his hips in ways that should have been illegal. 

They went on as friends until just before the end of Simon's senior year. Raphael still had one more year at NYU, while Simon was graduating in less than a month. Then, in a mess of stuttering out their feelings, they officially got together, but in reality, they had been dating from the moment Simon managed to get Raphael to dance with him. And Simon couldn't be any happier. 

So he knew it was the right time to pop the question. He knew it would be sappy and gross and everything that Raphael hates, but Simon also knew he would say yes. But that didn't stop the anxiety from pooling into his stomach. Carefully, without disturbing the sleeping octopus, he was able to slip out of the cozy warmth of their bed. He needed to move to keep the anxious questions from giving him a headache. 

Walking into the kitchen, he began to make a pot of coffee. He pulled out two mugs from the cabinet above the coffee maker one StarWars and the other one that says, "everyone annoys me" on the side- Raphael's favorite mug, which Simon had bought for his birthday one year. He pulled from the fridge French Vanilla creamer, also Raphael's favorite. He always puts enough of the sweet liquid to turn the once dark coffee and light beige color. It was sickly sweet and disgusting in Simon's opinion. But Raphael has a sweet tooth, and he knew better than to get between Raphael and his sweets. 

He hummed a soft tune while waiting for the coffee to brew. The warm light was filtering throughout the whole apartment, reflecting off the pictures on the mantle above the fireplace. Most of the pictures were of him and Raphael together, though both Simon and Raphael's family portraits made the mantle, as did all of their friends. It was beautiful, in Simon's opinion, to their little family that they had made for themselves through friends. It was beautiful to see the way they were all intertwined together by just a few photos. Simon didn't think he would survive if he didn't have the people from the pictures in his life. They were that important.

The coffee machine dinged, signaling that the addictive liquid was done brewing, pulling Simon out of his small reverie. He immediately began fixing Raphael's cup, pouring in a generous amount of creamer until the coffee became a light beige color. He hesitated before taking a sip to make sure that the amount of creamer was up to par with Raphael's tastes. 

"Disgusting," he mumbled, his face scrunching up as he took a sip of his own black coffee to get right of the sickly sweet taste. "Doesn't even taste like coffee," he grumbled. He could almost hear Raphael rolling his eyes and saying,  _That's the point!_

Nonetheless, he place the coffee on the counter and stalked over to the bookshelf, where he was currently hiding the key ingredient to his soon proposal. He pulled out the tiny black box without opening it, just staring at the velvet square that could potentially alter his life forever. (He was still fairly confident that Raphael would say yes, but that didn't stop the doubt anyway.) He thought back to three days ago, when Mama Santiago gave him her blessing. 

_To say Simon was nervous was the understatement of the century. Having knocked on the door of Raphael's childhood home, Simon waited in jittery silence for her to open the door. He knew that she should be home from the hospital by now, seeing as how he called her to let her know he was coming over. He loved Raphael's mom like a second mother, and she had essentially adopted Simon as her son, meaning he would be crushed if she didn't give her blessing._

_The door swung open, and lone behold all of the short, intimidating woman stood in front of Simon. She stared at Simon with warmth in her eyes, and a smile on her lips._

_"Simon! Come in," she moved out of the way to allow Simon to enter the small house._

_"Can I get you something to drink?" she asked over her shoulder as she led him into the kitchen._

_A shot of tequila, or three, would be nice, Simon thought._

_Instead, he shook his head. "No thanks Mama S," he said with a grin. He saw a smile tug at the corners of her mouth. She loved it when Simon called her that, as did Simon's own mother when Raphael called her 'Mama L.'_

_"Alright. So what brings you here Simon? You said you wanted to ask something?" She tilted her head, her dark eyes full of mirth that Simon couldn't understand. Still, his palms started to sweat, and his hands started to shake._

_"Ah- well- I came here because-um," Simon cut himself off, taking a deep and pulling his big boy pants on. He soldiered on, despite the lump that was forming in his throat. "I wanted to get your blessing to marry your son," he finished, sounding much more confident than he felt, which was always a plus. Fake it til you make it, as his mother always said._

_Guadalupe's face broke into a wide smile. She almost immediately left the kitchen, leaving Simon alone for a few minutes until she came back, holding a black velvet box._

_"Of course you have my blessing, Simon. You've always had my blessing," she chuckled. It reminded him so much of Raphael that his heart squeezed._

_"You didn't even know we were gonna get married," Simon argued with a raised eyebrow. Guadalupe just laughed again and shook her head._

_"Oh Mijo, it wouldn't have mattered. You have always had my blessing in your relationship," she said as she set the box down to cup Simon's face._

_"You," she continued softly, "brought my son back. My son. Not the shell he had turned into, but the boy he once was. I can never thank you enough for that."_

_Simon felt his throat constrict, and he desperately fought the tears that were welling up behind his eyes. "I-" he cleared his throat. "It was Raphael. Not me. He wanted to get better."_

_"He saved himself because of you, Simon." She rubbed his cheek softly, and Simon could see tears in her eyes too. Giving his face one last gentle squeeze, she released him and reached for the velvet box._

_"Have you bought a ring yet?" She asked._

_"No, not yet. I wanted to make sure everyone was okay with it before, you know?"_

_She hummed and nodded, unlatching the golden tap that kept the box together. Inside was a simple golden cross with a golden chain._

_"This was his," her voice had gone oddly soft and sad at the same time. "I got it for him when his father was still around. I told him it would keep him safe. He loved this necklace, but left it behind when he thought all hope was lost. Give it back to him Simon. Show him there is always light in the midst of darkness." With that, she gave the box to Simon and clasped his hands tightly. And a plan was already forming in Simon's head as they sat in a comfortable silence in the middle of her kitchen._

Simon wiped the single tear that fell from the memory. The plan he had made that day, to take Raphael to his favorite restaurant and propose to him there was falling through. He didn't know that he could wait until tonight to ask him, the boy he loved more than life itself, to be his husband. Slipping the ring into his pajama pant pocket, he moved back into the kitchen to go wake his love up for his coffee. 

"Holy shit!" Simon all but screamed when he walked into their small kitchen. Lone behold, there was Raphael, sitting on a chair, sipping his overly sweet coffee with bleary chocolate eyes that Simon had grown to adore. He grunted in response, hardly looking in Simon's direction. Despite his heart still beating erratically, Simon couldn't help but snort at his boy. 

"Is that our comforter?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. Again, Raphael only grunted, wrapping the entire comforter to their bed tighter around himself. 

"You couldn't've used one of the three thousand blankets we have in our room?" Simon couldn't help but tease. His smile only grew when Raphael turned to give him a petulant pout. 

"I was cold," he rasped, his voice still filled with sleep. "My heat source left me," he finished with a glare that might have looked menacing had his curly hair not be falling into his eyes. 

"Sorry babe," Simon went over to kiss his forehead. "Had to think." 

"About what?" Now he sounded slightly worried. Simon would never understand how a man a beautiful and pure as Raphael Santiago could be insecure over an average-at-best guy like Simon Lewis. 

"Nothing bad I promise," Simon said softly, relishing in the fact that the worry seemed to vanish from his face. The amount of trust that Raphael had in him was astonishing. Simon was so filled with love, looking at his boy as the soft light filtered around him, the giant comforter making him look smaller than he already was, the way his curly hair hung on his forehead and into his eyes, and the equal amount of love in his dark eyes that shone through, that the little black velvet box in his flannel pajama pant pocket seemed to weigh a ton. And Simon made his decision. At nearly seven o'clock in the morning on a sleepy Saturday, Simon Lewis got down on one knee in front of the man he loved.

"Simon," Raphael whispered, his eyes going wide as saucers.

"Shhh, baby. Just let me say this," Simon hushed gently, pulling the black box from his pocket. "I've been wanting to do this for years honestly, but I know you. I know you so well that  I knew you would have freaked out. And that's okay. Because God damn Raphael I would have waited until twenty years if you weren't ready. If it didn't feel right. But it feels right now. I love you. More than you can imagine. I will always love you, despite what you think. I love you despite the days where you bring yourself to get out of bed. I love you despite the fact you sometimes come home so late. I love you despite the fact that sometimes you don't love yourself. But most of all, I love you because you are the most amazing, selfless, pure person I have ever had the chance of knowing, and I don't want to ever let you go," tears were shining in Raphael's eyes, and Simon could hear him sniffling. Not to say that Simon wasn't getting emotional, because by the end of his little speech, his voice was cracking and his own tears were threatening to spill over. 

Simon took a deep breath and cleared his throat, "So, Raphael Santiago, will you marry me?" He opened the black box, and Raphael finally let out the sob he was holding back. Tears streamed down his face as he reached out to touch the golden cross. 

"Is-Is that my-" he cut himself off, staring at the cross. 

"Yea. Your mom gave it to me. Said to show you that there is light, even in the midst of darkness," Simon parroted Guadalupe's exact words. 

Raphael let out a wet laugh, touching the cool metal. "That sounds like something she would say," his voice barely above a whisper. 

"So, is that a yes? I mean, I have an actual ring, but I wanted to do something different. I can totally go get the ring if you want-" He was cut off by Raphael pulling his face up for a kiss. 

"Put the necklace on me Si," he breathed against his lips. Simon nodded and took the necklace out of the box. He unclasped the latch and gently placed it around Raphael's neck. It laid against his chest, and for whatever reason, he looked more complete. Simon saw, as he leaned back, the moment when the weight of the world seemed to fall off Raphael's shoulders. He looked up and hit Simon with dazzling smile. A similar smile broke across Simon's face. He knew, from the bottom of his heart to the top, that they were going to be alright. They were meant to be, soul mates perhaps. Whatever the case was, they would be together until the end. Simon and Raphael, Raphael and Simon. They were one, and nothing would tear them apart. 

"Yes." 

 


End file.
